Gift that became an obsession — Dendrobium

Someone gave me Dendrobium as a birthday gift and I barely knew what it was. Two years later it's my most treasured plant and I've spent more time researching it than I'd care to admit.

The key discovery was watering by soaking the pot then letting it drain fully — once that clicked, the plant transformed. spectacular flower forms that rival almost any plant is what gets mentioned every time anyone visits. I keep it in a decorative cachepot for a formal living room which works perfectly. triggering a new flower spike with cooler autumn nights is when I understand why this plant has such devoted followers. scale insects on pseudobulbs and undersides of leaves is the one ongoing challenge but it's worth the effort.